Read More

Olga has issued the following advice on how to survive the next four Saturdays.

• Firstly, embrace the knowledge that the child can only do their best and you know they have worked hard up to this point, so have faith in them, swamp them with cuddles, reassurances and confidence that you are proud of them for simply going in there and putting their best foot forward.

• Try to make sure they don’t feel under pressure to ‘pass’ or ‘fail’, and this concept is removed from any discussions, as it’s not helpful and may cause undue concern from the child, if they feel they may let you down.

Read More

• The night before the tests, get organised. Place your admissions card, sharp pencils and rubber in a small plastic folder, line up the uniform (or clothes they will wear) and shoes so there is no running about looking for a lost shoe on the morning of the tests.

• Ensure there is diesel in the car, make sure you know where you are going exactly (especially if you missed the familiarisation day), set several alarms on different devices so there is no chance of sleeping in and check the weather forecast in case there is a storm or snow on the way because you may have to factor in extra time to defrost the car or for travelling.

Read More

• Also, the night before, try to relax and keep the evening as normal as possible with an early night, a warm bath and a lots of people opt for new pyjamas for the child to ensure a great night’s sleep.

• On the morning of the tests, the key is really to keep everything calm. Ensure the child is wakened in good time to be able to have a light breakfast but not too much food as this can make the child feel too full, uncomfortable and lethargic.

Read More

• Also, a little bit of chocolate is scientifically proven to improve brain processing power, so give them a Freddo or a couple of squares of Diary Milk about a half hour before the test to help them along.

• Make sure you leave in good time for the test but don’t arrive too early – half an hour beforehand is plenty but don’t leave it too late which means you are rushing.

• After the tests, don’t do a post-mortem on it by asking them what they think they got, did they get any wrong, etc. Let it go completely, as it’s not helpful for the child to reflect on the test they’ve just done and it may also be necessary for you, as the adult, to help the child move on and not reflect on it themselves if they are a natural worrier.

• This is where it’s helpful to have a distraction lined up eg. cinema, McDonalds treat, ice-skating etc. and on the final one, it’s not uncommon for lots of P7 parents to come together and arrange a bigger event to celebrate with the whole class, so this is something to consider if you haven’t got something in place yet.

Read More

• Take it in your stride, try to keep stress to a minimum and just be there for the child, supporting them and reassuring them all the time. They are all wonderful and have worked so hard, and they’ll all do their very best.

Sports fans can find all the latest local action over on our Belfast Live Sport Facebook and Twitter and also on Match Online on both Facebook and Twitter.

Keep up-to-date with all the very latest news, what's on, sport and everything else in Belfast and beyond with the Belfast Live app.

Only select news that interests you by picking the topics you want to display on the app's homepage. Plus, our enhanced user experience includes live blogs, video, interactive maps and slick picture galleries. Download it now and get involved.